It is almost two weeks since the day I accepted the offer of wedding. Since that day Ansell is not been home.
As much as he was excited about the wedding and wanted to marry me the same day, certain important works came up and he had to leave in an emergency. The work was related to his father which he could not deny. I initially thought he’d up staying longer than I had expected.
I felt relieved that he wouldn’t be with me all the time, but didn’t release my brother, promising to do so on our wedding day, once I am his.
During his absence, I have spent most of time sleeping. I have hardly left the room of gotten out of bed.
Grace is providing me with everything in the room and I haven’t talked to anyone except my parents and that too for a few minutes. Before leaving Ansell gave me a new phone which had no other contact except my parents and he already warned me that the phone had a tracker so I could not try anything.
Neither I want to.
My thoughts were abruptly interrupted by the sound of the door clicking open, and I assumed it was Grace coming in to bring me lunch as it was the time of the meal.
“Keep it in the table” I instructed her without bothering to turn around.
“Nara” the voice of Desy grabbed my attention.
Slowly, I turned around, propping myself up against the headboard of the bed. Internationally, I couldn’t help but chuckle at the irony of the situation.
Just a mont ago, I had visited Desy’s room, carrying food and medicine, sympathising with her and trying to provide comfort. And now, here she was, in my room, with the same compassionate look in her eyes, carrying my food and medicine. The tables and turned, and the roles were reversed but I was not doing any drama unlike her.
“Why are you here?”” My voice emerged croaky, a result of not only my isolation but also the fact that I had barely uttered more than a word or two in a day.
“I m here to apologize ” she replied softly.
“Apologize for what?” I retorted, and she cast her gaze downward.
“Will your apologies bring my brother’s life back normal? Will they restore the happiness of my parents, the pain they have endured, the sleepless nights they have spent without their children? Will they bring back my innocence, my pride, my dignity, which are being cruelly crushed under brother’s feet? Will they?”
My tone was cold and rude and I didn’t even try to sugarcoat my words because I wanted them to hurt her.
She kept on looking down, fiddling with her fingers, silence on her lips.
“Please, Nara” she finally spoke, her voice trembling. “I am also just helpless as much as you are. I don’t like what Ansell is doing..”
“I don’t want your sympathy, Desy ” I interrupted her. “If you are really sorry then just accept your crime in front of Ansell. But I know you would never do that ”
When she didn’t say anything, I continued.
“I will have the food and medicines. You can go” my words were firm, my emotions still raw from me the pain and frustration of this situation.
“You anger towards me is justified, but you don’t know the truth…” She began, her voice tingled with regret.
“Neither do I want to know” I interjected, cutting her off. “We have already endured more than enough, and I have accepted my fate. All I want is for my brother to be free, and for you never to show your face to me again. Now when I will be staying in this house, try not to cross my path or I don’t know what I will do to you” I breathed out, “I am not even scared of what your brother might do to me afterwards!”
With those words, I turned my head away, refusing to engage further in this painful conversation.
She waited for a few seconds but I didn’t look at her side. And then I felt her standing up and leaving the room, giving me one last look.
My gaze fell on the food and I took only a few bites which were enough for my body to keep going for the rest of the day.
These days I am not feeling like eating anything and this may be because I am not going any activity. All the time I just feel like throwing up the content of my stomach.
After having the medicines I lay back on the bed and once again closed my eyes. I have started sleeping a lot. Sleep seemed to be my only escape lately, a way to temporarily forget the turmoil surrounding me.
Around an hour passed when my eyes shot open as someone entered the room without knocking and it was none other than Ansell, who was now back. I could feel the atmosphere in the room change, growing heavy and dark with his aura.
“My little girl” his voice came out very soft and gentle contrast to the way he had treated me.
As he moved around and stood before me, I blinked, meeting his gaze after what felt like an eternity. His beard had grown noticeably, and his eyes were burdened with dark circles, suggesting that he hadn’t slept properly.
“I miss you so much, Tereo” he confessed as he sat beside me, drawing me into his arms, my body responding as if I had no will of my own.
“Your presence, your voice, your scent” he breathed in the crook of my neck, causing a shiver to run down my spine. “Everything about you”
He placed a tender kiss on my neck, and I couldn’t help but quiver in response.
“Did you miss me?” He inquired.
I managed to nod my head. Yes, indeed he was in my head all the time, thinking about those days when he used to be good and cursing myself for loving him.
“I knew it, my Tereso must be missing me as well” his voice was filled with satisfaction.
He wrapped his arms around my waist tightly and pulled me closer to him, keeping his chin on my shoulder.
“This is the reason you have lost so much weight, right?” He asked me.
I gulped and didn’t reply.
“You were taking the food and medicines on time in my absence, isn’t it?”
I nodded my head.
“I promise, I will not leave you alone like this ever again ” he spoke. “It was just because of my father that I had to leave ”
I nodded. I didn’t want to talk to him until it is not necessary.
“He became so impatient that I couldn’t even apply for the marriage papers. When I talked to the lawyer, he asked for photocopies of your documents, which I didn’t have. I want those documents to make us one for eternity. I even instructed my men to search your workplace, your desk, but they couldn’t find them. Where are your documents?” He inquired.
He searched my workplace without even me knowing about it. He doesn’t know anything about privacy. Does he?
“Tell me, Tereso. I need to give the lawyer your documents” he implored, growing impatient.
“They are at my house” I informed him.
“Oh!” He exclaimed, his tone suddenly enthusiastic. “That means we have to go there, and today, no less”
A glimmer of happiness passed through me at the thought of leaving this room, even if it was only for a few hours.
“And I have a surprise waiting for you there” he added with a chuckle.
My body tensed as my mind raced to process his words. His surprises were unpredictable, he could mean anything by surprise.
“Now kiss me” he ordered and caressed my head gently.
I didn’t move from my place. It was better when he was not here.
“Kiss me Tereso. I missed you a lot. I want to feel you” he murmured against my lips. His eyes closed as if waiting for me to comply with his order.
He seemed to be in a relatively calm mood, and I didn’t want to provoke any unnecessary aggression. So, I leaned forward and lightly pressed my lips against his. But he was too quick, seizing my head and deepening the kiss. His tongue explored every inch of my mouth as I remained seated on his lap.
“Sweetest” he murmured against my lips, his words filled with longing, “I can never get enough of you”
He kissed me once more with hunger and passion as if trying to quench the thirst that had built up during all the days he was away. When I found myself breathless, he pulled back, resting his forehead against mine, both of us gasping for air.
“I have brought something for you” he revealed.
My eyes flicked up to him, searching his.
Suddenly, he lifted me by the waist and placed me gently on the bed. He knelt in front of me, and before I could fully grasp what was happening, he pulled out a small box from his pocket. When he opened it, I found a ring nestled inside.
“Ansell, there is no need for it. I don’t want…”
“But I want” he interrupted me. “I had many dreams with you and one of them was to propose to you properly for the marriage but the situation didn’t allow that. But still, I want to give you this before the marriage as a gift to say ‘yes’ to me”
He chuckled and took my hand, sliding the ring onto my finger. It first perfectly as if he had known my ring size all along. He brought my hand to his lips and planted a tender kiss over the ring.
“I love you, Nara” he whispered, his voice filled with possessiveness. “Never take off this ring because it will signify to the world that you belong to me”
I saw the ring when he left my hand and I found that there was a kind of logo of A&L inside the diamond and it seemed like it was made on order.
“It seems expensive, what if…”
“You are the most expensive possession I have” he cut me off before I could put forward my concern. “Nothing is more precious than you, my Tereso” he kissed the back of my palm.
“I love you ” he said again, this time looking up in my eyes.
“Tell me that you love me”
I gulped and stared back into his eyes when he was expecting an answer from me.
“Tell me”
Growing impatient, he began twisting the very finger he had just slid the ring onto. It doesn’t take his calmer side to switch to a devilish one. If I want to survive with him then I would have to listen to him and do as he says.
“Yes, Ansell, of course” I stammered, my voice trembling. “I lo.. love you”
He released my finger, a wide grin on his face.
“You are mine” he declared, pulling me close and hugging me tightly before placing a gentle kiss on my forehead.
Yes, I am his, and now only some magic could save me from him.